The first day of resumption of interstate bus services from Vellore by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) on Monday received a lukewarm response from commuters with many of the buses operating near empty. The interstate bus services have been operated since April when the ban on such services came into force as part of safety measures against COVID-19.
Initially, 50 buses are being operated by the TNSTC in Vellore region, mainly to neighbouring States like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, covering key places like Bengaluru, Tirupati and Chittoor. Of the 50 vehicles, 23 are operated to Karnataka and the rest 27 for Andhra Pradesh. Commuters with face masks were allowed to board buses at the temporary bus terminus for long distance travellers. Buses have been equipped with disinfectants with only 50% of seats allowed for commuters.
At present, buses to Gudiyatham, Ambur, Tirupattur, Hosur and Bengaluru have been allowed to use the new temporary bus terminus behind Selliamman temple in Vellore.
Likewise, buses to Arakkonam, Tiruttani, Kancheepuram and Chennai have also been using the new temporary bus stand. However, all city buses from Vellore to Arni, Tiruvannamalai, Gudiyatham and Chittoor via Katpadi are being operated from the old bus stand on Anna Salai near the Fort complex.
Officials of TNSTC said that Monday being the first working day of the week, many buses did not have much crowd. More importantly, during the ban period, commuters from Vellore board local buses to reach the border checkpoint at Christianpet near Katpadi, from where they walk a few 100 metres to reach Andhra Pradesh border check-post to board buses operated by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to go to Tirupati and Chittoor.
Similar is the case with those travelling to Karnataka during the interstate bus ban period.
As a result, officials said commuters did not find much difference in boarding buses directly from Vellore.
